One of the assignments of Jesus is to introduce us to the Holy Spirit. Jesus gives eternal life and abundant life (John 10:19).
Eternal life does not exist outside of salvation, but abundant life does not exist outside of the Spirit.
Ephesians 1:13 says we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. This speaks of a relationship. We are encouraged “not to grieve” the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 4:30, which speaks of intimacy. And intimacy grows from relationship. Our salvation gives us a relationship, but our pursuit of the Holy Spirit brings intimacy.
You can’t have fellowship with someone you keep referring to as “it.”
2 Corinthians 13:14 says,
“The grace of Jesus changed our lives. The love of God is the foundation for everything, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”
The Grace of Jesus changed our lives. The love of God is the foundation for everything, and the communion of the Holy Spirit is what will change everything. Many know about grace and love, but a few practice communion with the Holy Spirit.
He waits to be wanted, longs to be welcomed. He needs to be hosted. Many people invite the Holy Spirit, but you know how to host Him. To start Fellowship with the Holy Spirit we must first see Him as a person. If you want to walk with the Holy Spirit, start with talking to Him. Throughout your day address Him, thank Him, worship Him. We should not feel guilty for not spending time with the Holy Spirit, but we should feel thirsty. He wants a relationship, not rules.
When we fellowship with the Holy Spirit, we can start with the awareness that He is with us, and then turn our attention to Him and lift our hearts with affection towards Him.
Our relationship can’t go higher than our obedience to the Holy Spirit. The Bible instructs us not to grieve the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 4:30. One of the main ways the Holy Spirit is grieved is when we are disobedient to His leading. It’s when the Holy Spirit speaks to us that we have a relationship with Him. Just like when the Holy Spirit led Jesus to fast in the wilderness. If you’re not hearing from Him, it may be that you need to repent or apologize for something or as simple as beginning to give to others.
It’s when we take the risk of obedience that we experience the reward in our relationship with the Holy Spirit. No risk equals no reward and no relationship.
This doesn’t mean we have to listen to everything that comes into our head. The Holy Spirit also uses our spirits to communicate with us, and His voice will never contradict God’s Word. The world says “follow your gut” but the Bible says to follow God.
Over the years I’ve prayer to hear God’s voice, but I needed to pray that He gives me grace to heed His voice too. He doesn’t always speak awesome prophetic words for other people or words of knowledge that bring immediate results. Sometimes it’s just God testing us to see if we want to go deeper with Him or stay on the same level.
By obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit we allow Him to develop fruit within us. This cannot develop if we are disobedient to Him or if we grieve Him.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that we make mistakes, or can fall into old patterns. It’s easy to go days without praying or picking up our Bible. The key is to always bounce back, even if we sin we need to repent and get back to walking with God.
God came to the meeting where He would meet Adam, knowing that Adam fell into sin. God did not cancel the meeting. He as expecting Adam so that they could talk and Adam could repent and move forward but Adam hid from God. When we sin we are supposed to run to God, if you can run walk, if you can’t walk crawl, but don’t ever stay where you are in guilt and shame. We don’t drown by falling into the water, we drown by staying where we are.
The Holy Spirit knows our tendencies, our weaknesses, and our struggles before He committed Himself to our sanctification. He is not shocked when we make messes. What shocks Him is when we think He can’t help us get out of the messes we make. He’s shocked when we don’t trust Him enough to pull us out of whatever struggles we find ourselves in.
Life demands trade offs from us, and sacrifices are the currency. People give up hours to grind at the their jobs, instead of relaxing to chase goals like career success or personal growth. And comfort usually takes a hit. But survival always plays a role.
The Bible tells us “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
Parents sometimes skip on their dreams, hopes, and goals. Raising children, cleaning, cooking and laundry take the place of friends and they slowly fade into the background.
“We come to know that what appears today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be the greatest investment we can ever make” -Gordon B. Hinckley
Like most people, I faced a lot of challenges in my life. There’s been the normal stuff like the emotional pain of losing someone, and broken relationships.
There has also been a few curveballs. I really didn’t have much stability growing up, and I certainly didn’t have a traditional childhood.
I’m sure that I’ve had it harder than some and easier than others. No one gets through life without a few bumps in the road.
The question is, how do we find a balance of honoring our past history without letting limit or hold us back from moving forward?
Over the last nine weeks, I’ve been taking a study called “Rooted,” it was one I really didn’t want to do, but a lady that I brought to church wanted to take it and didn’t want to do it alone. It Involved bringing up the past, the painful memories I would rather forget, and it opened up a few things I needed to work on to become a better person.
Now I’m a firm believer that nothing can get better until we get to the root cause of the issues we face in life. We can’t let go of the past until we heal from the past traumas we’ve faced.
Letting go of the past, doesn’t mean that we just move on and forget about our history. Our past experiences are a part of who we are, and we will never be able to just sweep them under the rug and forget about it all.
I think that letting go is more about being intentional and deciding what our past means for the future.
We have to acknowledge and processthe past. Recognizing lingering emotions, regrets, guilt, or pain without judgment. I like how Paul puts it in Philippians 3:13-14
“I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Messiah Yeshua.”
We need to forgive and seek forgiveness. Holding onto grudges or shame blocks our progress. Colossians 3:13-14 urges us,
“bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any, even as Messiah forgave you, so you also do. Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.”
Jewish tradition has practices like repentance during the Omer period that emphasizes clearing relational debts for spiritual growth. This is done in the 50 after Passover leading up to the Pentecost.
We can reframe our past spiritually by viewing our past as part of our journey towards wisdom. Psalm 67 speaks of God’s blessings leading to growth, suggesting even hardships can prepare us for a fruitful future. Trusting that God’s sovereignty can transform pain into purposes. Romans 8:28 tells us,
“All things work together for good for those who love God…”
We can set intentions for the future. By shifting focus and defining our goals with it and faith and purpose. By creating small actionable steps, with daily prayer and community involvement or even learning a new skill to build momentum can focus on incremental growth.
We can anchor ourselves in spiritual practices. Regular prayer, reading, scripture, or worshiping, can ground us in the present by reducing the fixation on the past which can give us hope for the future.
Surrounding ourselves with people who encouraged us to move forward, or having an accountability group can help us sustain focus on God’s promises.
Above all, we must practice self compassion. Letting go is a process, not a one time act. Be patient with yourself and rest in God‘s grace. Discipline and self-care is vitally important.
By surrendering our past to God through prayer, forgiving, and setting faith driven goals we can move forward to a future aligned with divine purpose.
There is a biblical characteristic called “temperance,” which is a fundamental virtue that is highly regarded in the Bible. It involves the ability to exercise restraint and moderation in various aspects of life, including our thoughts words, actions, and desires. Temperance is understood as self-control or moderation it’s a key component of the fruit of the Spirit. And it’s about governing one’s appetites and passions, controlling impulses, avoiding excess, and choosing actions that align with God’s will.
I believe the world has a lack of temperance or self-control. If you look around you can see this everywhere especially in America. Many people were not taught self-control growing up.
For myself I consider it a stronghold. If there’s a box of chocolates or ice cream I can’t just stop at one. I can tell myself “only one,” but before I know it I’ve eaten more. Growing up I got in the habit of stress and emotional eating. Stress can release hormones that make us crave sugary foods, which can act as a temporary stress reliever.
The Bible generally supports the idea of “everything in moderation,” and empathizes balance, self-control, and avoiding extremes.
There are a few strategies to improve self-control not matter what we are struggling with.
Being mindful. Being present in the moment and observing our thoughts and feelings can help identify triggers and make more conscious choices.
Creating a routine and sticking to it can help us stay on track.
Change your environment. Removing the distraction can make it easier to focus on our goals.
Above everything we need to forgive ourselves. We all mess up, but it’s important to not to tear ourselves down do. We can always try again. It’s also important not to give up trying.
Making God the Lord of your life involves a deep personal commitment to aligning your thoughts, actions, and purposes with your faith.
It includes surrendering and trusting in God as the ultimate authority. This means trusting His plan over our own. Proverbs 3:5-6 emphasizes
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
We can repent and ask forgiveness for our shortcomings and turn strive to live according to God’s teachings. Acts 3:19 connects repentance with turning to God for renewal.
“Repent therefore, and turn again that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.”
We can build a relationship with God through prayer, reading scripture from the Bible and worshipping Him. This helps us to understand His will. Psalm 119:105 describes what this looks like when we do this,
“Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.”
By being Obedient and being a servant to others we can live out our faith by following biblical principles, loving others, and serving the people in our community. James (Jacob) 2:17 highlights that faith without works is incomplete,
“Even so faith, if it had no works, is dead in itself.”
We have accountability when we engage with our faith community for support, encouragement, and growth. Hebrews 10:24-25 urges us to,
“Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and (do) good works, not for taking our own assembly together, as the custom of some is, by exporting one another, and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.”
We need to make choices that reflect our biblical values, even when they are challenging.
Making God the Lord of your life is a vibrant, Spirit-filled commitment that emphasizes a personal relationship with Jesus and when we surrender to God’s will and have active engagement with the Holy Spirit. It
I think leaders tend to be visionaries. They create and articulate a clear vision, which inspires others to follow. They are also decisions makers, taking on responsibility for tough choices sometimes under uncertainty. They are the risk takers embracing challenges and stepping out of comfort zones.
While followers execute the vision and contribute to a groups goals, they collaborate effectively and prioritize success. They are open to guidance and show loyalty, discipline, cooperation, and humility.
It is important to be both leaders and followers. I tend to be a leader in the things I know most about, and a follower when I am learning of the task as hand.
I thought I would share some of the prayers I pray each day for my children and my friend’s children. With everything going on in the world today I believe it’s important to keep them lifted up each day.
The Word of God cuts like a knife through the world we live in regardless of the time, culture, or season of life we find ourselves in. In Acts 5:29 Peter said before the Sanhedrin and Chief Priest,
“We must obey God rather than men.”
Understanding how obedience, submission, wisdom, and authority work in this broken world can be critical if we are called to follow Jesus.
Following Jesus means we must be willing to break “World” rules for a higher loyalty and authority. But that must be done with wisdom, grace, and a mature understanding of the consequences and rewards.
Some in the world, want to follow their own rules. I think that’s why our world is in so much chaos. Everyone wants to do their “own thing” thinking they know best, everyone is running in different directions instead of focusing on one goal -living for God. It’s a lawless society.
The general rule of thumb for biblical interpretation is to start with what is most clear and allow that to inform what is most ambiguous. In Acts, Peter is confronted with two contradictory commandments. The first comes from Jesus Himself in Acts 1: 8 when the apostles are commanded to share the message of Jesus to the ends of the earth. The second is in Acts 4:7 when Peter and John are commanded by the Sanhedrin not to teach in Jesus’s name. The commands of man are always opposite to Jesus’s. In this circumstance, it is clear that the commandments of God are to take precedence over the attempts by earthly powers to suppress the teaching of the gospel.
When human laws go directly against the command of God, we must follow God. Like Daniel when he was given the King unclean food in Daniel 1:8 or forbidden to pray in Daniel 6:10.
From my experience when I choose to obey God rather than man, my life is easier. Things just flow better. But, clarity does not automatically make us courageous, it’s that standard set our for us.
We need to mentally, prayerfully, and courageously prepare for the essential and nonnegotiable realities of our faith that will stand in opposition to the lies of Satan, our flesh, and this fallen world.
While many choices are not explicitly addressed in the Bible, they are based on biblical wisdom and matters of conscience. We can depend on God’s Word, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to make the right decision. The Bible describes how Godly and worldly authority interact in Romans 13:1-3,
“Let every person by subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive His approval.”
Our sinful desires work hard against our obedience to God. We live in a world that ignores all the rules and all the “taboos” of traditional culture. Going along with the crowd is a natural temptation when we face hard situations. We don’t want to stir up trouble so it’s easier to quietly submit. But, giving in to our desires to avoid a problem is not what God wants. We are called to stand up and be a witness for Jesus and the salvation He brought for us. Being ugly or stirring the pot should never be our intention. It is the glory of Jesus and the truth of God that should be our focus and our theme throughout our lives.
If the world is going to hate us, we should let them hate us for our gospel message and not for our arrogance, our harshness, or our impatience.
How are we going to obey God rather than the world? Here are a few tips:
Know what God has told you to do. We cannot obey God’s Word if we don’t know God’s Word. When Satan tempted Jesus. He always answered with scripture “It is written.”
Stay close to God, worship daily, pray. Make prayer you’re default setting. “Pray without ceasing should be our default setting.
Stay close to other believers. Reliable friends serve as a sounding board and a good source of encouragement as we face the temptation not to obey God. Friends can be suitable for loving accountability.
Don’t trust your own strength. Jesus had given us the Holy Spirit as a gift. We do not have to face anything alone.
One time I remember after working a fundraiser I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things. It was a cold windy day and I was tired and wanted to go home. As I was leaving the store I lady came up to me and asked if I could take her home. I told her yes, even though I didn’t want to. Because I heard God say “give her a ride.” I could have easily have told her no and been on my way.
Sometimes God tells us something that we don’t understand. Don’t second guess it. Obey. The blessings far outweigh the trouble we think it is.
From Pity to Praise 